Fruit sizing machine



July i9, 1932. F. MATHEWS 1,8687114' FRUIT SIZING MACHINE l `Filed March11, 195o 3 shears-sheet 2 2O f( Z By M'M July 19. 1932, F` MAH-:Fuffa1,858,114

FRUIT -:Izm' MACHINE Filed mnh 1;, 195o 3 shwrs-sheet 3 In uentor Aliorney Patented July 19, 1932 FRED MATHEWS, F NORTHPORT, WASHINGTONFRUIT SIZING MACHINE Application mea March 11, 1930. serial no. 434,944.

The present invention relates to an improved fruit sizing machine whichis motor operated, and of the endless conveyer type,

employing successively moving, transversely disposed, duplex carriers,each accommodating two articles ofv fruit, as a pair of apples which maybe of the same size or of different sizes, and the machine is'designedespecially for accurately sizing theapplesV 'I0 with a maximum of speed.y

A feed hopper is lemployed at the front endof the machine, and theapples are fed by gravity to the successive duplex carriers that aresuspended transversely of the ina- 'l15 chine between two endless,longitudinally extending, conveyer chains. The carriers are eachprovided withpockets, adjustable as to size for Jthe reception of`different `sizes .ol' apples, and the pockets are automatically openedto release the apples to a pair of longitudinally extending roWs ofbins, located beneath and also laterally of the conveyer and itscarriers. u y

The conveyer chains glide over parallel tracks and the carriers slideover complementary parallel, stepped, laterally adjustable, divergingrails, thatco-act with the carriers to automatically open the pocketsand deposit the apples in the'predetermined bins,

' 30 for designated sizes of apples.

The invention consists in certain f novel combinations and arrangementsof parts for carrying out the above indicated purposes, as

will hereinafter be more fully set forth and claimed. In theaccompanying'drawings I have illustrated one complete example of thephysical embodiment o my invention wherein the parts are combined andarranged ac` cording to one mode I have-thus devised for the practicalapplication of the principles of my invention. u i' Figure 1 is aplanview of the machine, partly broken 4away for convenience of illus- 4'5tration.

Figure 2 Yis a view in side elevation of the machine of Figure 1, partlyin section at eline 2-2 of Figure l. i Y

Figure '3 is a top plan view, enlarged, showing two Vcarriersarranged'transversely l positions.

vmotor shaft, a belt 6, and adriven pulley 7 kpartingstrip 12 thatseparates the apples of the conveyer chains, with three sizes of fruitltherein. l

Figure 4 is a vertical, transverse sectional n view of the machine atline 4 4 of Figure `3 showing both the upper and lower flights of theendless conveyer, one of thepockets of the working flight being closed`While another is open, and the pockets of the lower flight being shownyas inverted,`but intheir usual Figure 5 is a top, detail plan view atthe feed end of the machine showing the rounded guide for the carriersand the spreader flanges for the pocket Walls that are initially openedto their maximum Width as they travel around the rounded guide.

Figure 6 is an end view at the feed end of the machine, with thesprocket wheels and conveyers, as well as the carriers inv section.

Figure 7 is a sectional view of a carrier frameas at line 7 7 of Figure3.

Figure 8 is a perspective view showingone of the pockets anda portion ofits carrier.

Figure 9 is a detail sectional view showing in section a closed pocketsliding on the Ygauge plate, and a slightly modified form of carrierframe ,withl its conveyer` chain on its supporting` track. 't u Incarrying out myinvention I employa main frame 1 at the ends of which arejournaled the two'shafts 2 and 3, the latter being v-a drive shaft andthe former a driven shaft,

operatedl from anelectric motor 4,- through the belt drive Vcomprising apulley 5 on the u on the drive shaft 3. v

Two pairs of operating sprockets 8, 8. and 9, 9 are mounted to revolvewith the shafts, andv spaced sprocket chains 10 and 11 are supported andtravel'on the sprockets. Y.

The fruit, (as apples) is fed to the machine in twos or pairs, bygravity, through the feed hopper 12, which has a dividing partition orof a pair and causes them tobe fed. to the duplex carriers, as will bedescribed.

Between the upper and-lower ilights of the endless conveyer chains `arelocatedstationary bins, arranged in longitudinal rows 13 and 14 at thecenter line of themachine vand ica the bins, as seen in Figure 1 projectlaterally of the machine, at both sides. The apples are released frompockets of they carriejrs and deposited in these bins,and the fruit issized so that the largest apples will be deposited inthe two bins at theleft or front end of the machine,the smallest apples will be depositedin the two end bins at the right end of Figure 1, and apples of varyingsizes will be deposited in the intermediate bins `in both rows, betweenthe end bins.

The two sprocket chains of the endless convveyer glide along over uppertracks1-5, 15A

'and lower tracks 16, 16, whichmay be fashioned of timbers with top wearp-lates of metal, and these parts are lubricated to insure smoothoperation of the machine as the upper flights glide along the tracks 15while the loweryig'hts glide alongthe plated rails or 'tracks 16. l

n Between the parallel, spaced, sprocket chains are vsuspended duplexcarriers, disposed transversely of the machine and of the conveyer, andwith adjustable pockets to re- '60 c Y Y c 'provided with a down-turned,vertical flange,

ceive diderent sizes of apples. These carrierfpockets are opened totheir maximum width or size at the feed end of the machine, and afterthe apples are fed to the pockets,

the latter adjust themselvesto the sizes ofl the apples. As therclosedpockets travel alongA the machine,l they are automatically opened,

at stations or bins,vin connectionwith gage plates, and as theapples arereleased they are deposited in the proper bins.

'15 16,16 and prevent lateral'movement ofV the carriers. Theend plates20, 21 are j oinedby parallel, spaced, cross, channelV bars 23 and y24,Vand these bars, together with the end plates and guide bars 22 formrigideframes that extend transversely of the machinecan'd are securedtothechains by the stud bolts, while the guide bars 22 maintain thecarriers against movement laterally ofthe machine; The fourends of thechannel cross bars project over the respective tracks 15 and 16 and.these ends may ormay not touch the tracks as they pass along theiruppersurfaces.

Each T-shaped end plate of the iframer is as 25 or 26, that, is rigidwith orfstationary with relationto the carrierrframe, and the Vpair, ofdown-turnedilanges oi a carrier are located at opposite sides of thelongitudinal center line of the machine, and parallel therewith, toco-operate with other parts in forming pockets for the apples, in thecarriers.

' At each side of the longitudinal centerline im of the machine aU-shaped yoke, as 27 Aand 28, is slidably carried in the two spacedchannel, cross bars 23 and 24, and the extremities of these channel barsare provided .with blocks 29 to which are anchored springs 30. The endsof the four springs toward the center of the machine are anchored to thefour ends oil' the U-shaped yokes, and the springs, which are alinedwith the parallel side arms of the yokes, are located in the channelcross bars. The springs, in pairs, tend to pull their re-Y spectiveyokes toward the sides of the machine for reducing the size of thepockets,

but the complementary yokes may be mechanically pulled toward each otherto'y increase the size of the pockets. Y'

In each yokeis suspended a plate 31, pivotedin vthe yoke at r32, andprovided with a wide, angular plate 33, and this plate 31, that 1sparallel with the stationary plate 25 (or 26) together with thehorizontal plate 33, form the pocket for the apple. The faces of thepocket'walls that engage the appleV are all. lined with a cushioningmaterial so that the apple may be clamped between'the iplates 25', 31,and rest upon plate 33', fwithout marring. f The springs exert only thenecessary tension on the yokes and pocket plates as 1s required to holdthe apples against Adisplacement as they move with the carrier.

The yfree ends `34 of the pocket-bottom A plates 33, at eachv side ofthe machine, are supported to slide along on gage plates 35,36

that are supported beneath the upper tracks Y 15, 15,. by bolts 37. Thebolts pass downwardly through slots 38 that extend transversely of thegage plates, and by means of adjusting bolts 39 the plates may beadjusted toward or away from the longitudinal center ofthe machine. Theadjusting bolts are mounted in. perforated lugsof the `gage plates andthey are threaded in bolt' holes in lugs 40 ttalched'to the under sidesof the uppertracks The inner edges of the gagelplates diverge romthefeed end of the machine toward the rear end, and these edges areprovided with steps or offsets 41 corresponding tothe bins v 13, 14.The` free edges 34 of the pocketbottoms 33l slide `along on thediverging, stepped gage plates until theedge 34 slides oli the steppedgage plate. As they bottom slides oft". the gage plate the pocket swingsdownwardly on its hinges or pivots 32,' and the apple Vis deposited inthe bin beneathl the pocket, as indicated aty the right'in the upperflight of Figure 4.y f

The bins are provided 'with' flexible andl soft bottoms 42 of canvas orother material,

and they are lined with cushion material 43 to prevent marring theapples as they contact with the bin portions.

As soon as the apple is released from the pocket, the tension of thesprings 30 draw the angle plate 31--32 toward the stationary plate 25.

At the far end of the machine the carriers pass thru an arc of 180degrees and the downhanging or open pockets of the carrier are guidedand swung on their hinges by con` tact with guide bars 45, which swingthe pockets to closed position as they are inverted during their travelthru said arc.

The lower flight of the conveyer, or endless chains, brings the closed,but inverted pockets back to the feed end of the machine, the inverted,hinged pockets resting on the free edges of the stationary plates 25,26.

At the feed end of the machine the carzo riers pass around and up, overa rounded guide plate 46, surrounding the sprocketwheel shaft, and thisplate has two spreader flanges 47 and 48 that separately contact withthe yokes of the carrier frames, and thereby spread the hinged pocketswith relation to their stationary walls V25, or 26. These spreaderflanges are designed to open 'the pockets to their maximum width, thatis. separate plate 3l as far as possible from 80 plate 25, so that thepocket may receive the largest apple, the smallest apple or intermediatesizes, from the feed hopper. Y As the pocket, in closed position, turnsfrom inverted to upright position in passing around the guide plate 46,the free edge 34 of the pocket is in position to ride or slide along 0nthe gage plate, and of course the apple that is clamped in the pocket is'carried to the bin for which it is intended. For a positive spreadingaction of the pockets, and guiding of the pockets as they pass aroundthe end, curved plates, the yokes may be provided with studs 49 to ridealongside the guide flanges or annular spreader ribs, 45, 47, and 48,and these studs may have anti-friction rollers 50 on their ends forcontact with the guide flanges. Y. 1vVhile I have shown a pair of 'fruitsizing devices, in each of the yokes or carriers, it

5o is to be understood that I do not wish to be limited thereby as thedevice of my invention is equally adapted to one or any number of sizingdevices in series across the yoke to meet various needs of the severalindustries to which my invention may apply.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desireto secure by Letters Patent is:

l. The combination, in a fruit sizing machine of the endless conveyertype, with a stepped-edge gage plate, of a carrier having a stationarywall, a pocket hinged in the car` rier for coaction with the wall, saidpocket having a free edge. adapted to slide on the stepped gage plate,and resilient means on chine of the endless-conveyer type, with agageplate having a stepped edge,of a carrier having a stationary wall, ahinged pocketV supported in the carrier adjacent the wall and havingvafree edge to slide on the plate,

and springs on the carrier connected tothe said hinged pocket fordrawing the latter toward the wall.

3. The combination with a pair of endless,

spaced sprocket chains, of a rigid carrier frame connecting said chainsand rigid walls in said frame, of a pair of slidable yokes in the frame,a pair of pockets pivoted in the yokes, a pair of laterally adjustablegage plates each having a stepped edge to support the free end of apocket, and springs for drawing the pockets toward the walls.

4. The combination with an endless conveyer and a carrier frame, of astationary wall in said frame, a laterally movable, hinged pocketsupported in the frame for co-action with the wall, a laterallyadjustable gage-plate having a stepped edge to support the free endof apocket, resilient means for drawing the pocket toward the wall, andmeans for positively spreading said pocket.

5. The combination with an endless con-` veyer and a carrier frame, of astationary wall in said frame, a laterally movable hinged pocketsupported 1n the frame for co-action with the wall, a laterallyadjustable gage-plate having a stepped edge to support rthe free end ofa pocket, resilient means for drawing the pocket toward the Wall, andmeans for positively spreading said pocket.

6. The combination in a fruit sizing machine with an endlessconveyer, ofa transversely suspended carrier having a stationary l pocket-wall, ofan open-side pocket hinged in the carrier for co-action with said wall,a laterally adjustable gage plate having a stepped edge to support thefree ends of pockets, anda bin for receiving the fruit deposited fromthe pocket.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

FRED MATHEWS.

